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GMC considers adding more vehicles to broaden product line

GMC is considering expanding its product portfolio in the next 10 years to allow it to reach more potential buyers and grow sales, a top executive said Monday. The small and midsize sport-utility-vehicle segments are two possibilities, said Duncan Aldred, GMC sales and marketing vice president. He also said GMC won't make a car, preferring to reinforce its reputation as a maker of trucks and SUVs. "There's plenty of opportunities even if we define ourselves as a we do as a truck and crossover brand," he said. He wouldn't comment on the possibility of adding a Jeep Wrangler-fighter, though rumors have swirled for months that GMC is considering a product to compete with the iconic off-roader. "I can't confirm that ... everything's on the table," he said. He also said that it's possible GMC could get a unique set of underpinnings – all of its vehicles share platforms that are also used by Chevrolet – but it's not needed to differentiate his brand. "I'm very happy sharing underpinnings and everything else," he said. "All of the good-performing automakers do that." Speaking to journalists at a roundtable at General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Aldred said GMC received an investment from GM that is double what the brand has historically spent to fund its growth plans. Advertising spending alone will increase 50 percent this year compared with 2014. The brand rolled out a new ad campaign on Monday, called "Precision," that will underscore attention-to-detail and the premium features of GMC vehicles. Two of the commercials have a sporting theme, and the third focuses on modern menswear. GMC called it a "contemporary interpretation" of the brand's traditional positioning, and it will also continue to use its long-running "Professional Grade" tagline. The premium positioning of the ads come as buyers are increasingly outfitting their trucks as near-luxury vehicles. The percentage of buyers opting for the top-end Denali trim has increased from 17 percent in the middle of 2014 to 21 percent now. The goal is to get Denali to make up 25 percent of GMC sales by the end of 2017, Aldred said. Spurred by the higher Denali take-rate, the brand's transaction prices leapt by $3,000 last year. "It's [Denali] really kind of this jewel in the crown," Aldred said. GMC sales increased 11.3 percent in 2014 to 501,853 units, making it GM's-second-best-selling brand behind Chevrolet.

2024 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X makes Duramax diesel standard

Changes are afoot for the 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 lineup. The one ringing the biggest bells for the off-roading crowd is the engine swap headed to the AT4X trim. Right now, if you want an AT4X you've got Hobson's choice of engines: The 6.2-liter EcoTec V8 with 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Next year, the 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel inline-six that's standard equipment on the AT4 and Denali Ultimate trims becomes the standard engine on the AT4X. The oil-burner makes 305 hp and 495 lb-ft., sent through the same ten-speed automatic the 6.2 V8 is yoked to. GM said around 20% of buyers have checked the Duramax box when buying a Sierra 1500 since the automaker released the upgraded engine for the 2023 model year — it's also offered on the SLE, Elevation, SLT, and Denali trims. The percentage should grow thanks to the diesel's low-speed grunt being one of the best "force multipliers" when traipsing over and through particularly challenging corners of the woods. The 6.2-liter will take the exhaust note crown over the diesel after the introduction of an active exhaust system with a Sport mode exclusively for the 6.2. Assuming no more changes to engine lineups before the 2024 Sierra arrives, the SLT, AT4, Denali, Denali Ultimate, and AT4X will have access to the active exhaust option.   GM Authority says the Duramax is getting another maximal friend in 2024, too. The 2.7-liter Turbo High-Output four-cylinder makes 310 hp and 430 lb-ft and is standard equipment on the entry-level Pro trim. the SLE, and Elevation trims will be renamed "TurboMax," which sounds like an Autobot, and that's not a bad thing. GM applied to trademark the name in January. The new moniker is headed to the Chevrolet Silverado as well, and we'd bet on exterior badging to let the world know.  Elsewhere around the Sierra, there will be two new exterior colors, Downpour Metallic and Thunderstorm Gray, mixable and matchable with two new aluminum wheel designs. And between those wheels, power retractable steps will be available for the Denali, Denali Ultimate, AT4 and AT4X trims. We'll be waiting to see how the steps differ from the GMC MultiPro Power Steps available now for $1,195.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2019 GMC Sierra Denali Drivers' Notes Review | Half measures

Associate Editor Reese Counts: This truck feels a full generation behind the competition. It's a half measure that feels more like a mid-cycle refresh than a whole new truck. There are a few high points: the 6.2-liter V8 is great (if thirsty) and the bed is wider than anything else in the class. The tailgate, too, is nifty, though some might write it off as a novelty. I also dig the tech, particularly the infotainment system and heads-up display. Ram might brag about its giant touchscreen, but I think I actually prefer the GMC's user interface. The rest can be summed up with a series of shoulder shrugs. The Sierra finally looks different than a Silverado, but I wouldn't call it handsome. The interior is spacious, but I'd knock the design and materials in a $45,000 truck, much less one approaching $70,000. It's not Toyota Tundra levels of terrible, it's just plain, cheap, and not nearly as space efficient as the Ram. It feels like GM's not even trying to move the needle with this truck. The more time I spend behind the wheel, the less I like it. Assistant Editor Zac Palmer: I got to spend a lot of seat time in this 2019 GMC Sierra Denali, and I came away generally unenthused by GM's most luxurious truck. We harp a lot about how expensive pickup trucks are these days, and this one's near $70,000 price tag is just the same. When you step inside a similarly-specced Ram, it feels like it's worth its price. When I step out of a Silverado and into a more expensive Sierra, I want to feel like it's money well spent. This Sierra Denali does not. Beyond the leather seats and a few small pieces of wood trim, it's hard, black plastic galore. What makes it all the more frustrating is that GM has most of the tech and features it needs (solid infotainment, 360-degree camera, wireless phone charging and the rear camera mirror is genuinely awesome). The presentation just comes off as dated from the start. It's a shame, because I have a strange affinity for how this truck looks from the curb. The sharp angles, brash styling and "tough truck" attitude is appealing to me. I like stomping on the gas and letting the 6.2-liter torque monster under the hood loose. But man do you pay the price for using that engine. Over a few hundred miles of driving I ended at a dismal 15 mpg reading on the trip computer — the saddest part of this was knowing these were mostly highway miles.